Michigan Bicycle Accidents

• According to a report by the Governor's Traffic Safety Advisory Commission (GTSAC), 25 bicyclists were killed in crashes in Michigan in 2008. An additional 1,633 suffered injuries in bicycle accidents. The total number of accidents in 2008 hit 2,045. These numbers are similar to 2007, when 18 cyclists were killed and 1,745 were injured in 2,160 bicycle-involved wrecks. In 2007, GTSAC notes that persons under 21 years old represented 16.4 percent of bicycle-related deaths in Michigan, while individuals 55 years of age and older comprised 31 percent of the fatalities.
  
  

Action Plan

• GTSAC developed the Michigan Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Action Plan to guide the state through 2012. A primary plan goal is to reduce bicycle-related injuries and deaths by 5 percent between 2007 and 2012. The commission also seeks to change motorist, bicyclist and pedestrian behavior in spaces they share. For instance, both bike riders and motorists are the target of increased public awareness and media campaigns designed to educated both parties on the rights and responsibilities of cyclists.
  
  

Complete Streets Program

• Through legislation, GTSAC hopes to increase the number of Michigan communities implementing the "Complete Streets" program. Complete Streets, according to the Michigan Complete Streets Coalition, are roadways that do not focus solely on the needs of motorists; rather they take into account the presence of bicyclists, pedestrians and other types of users. The coalition reports that, on March 16, 2010, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) voted to give preference to grant applicants in the state who adopt Complete Streets policies.
  
  

Advocacy

• Bicycle advocates throughout Michigan, including the League of Michigan Bicyclists (LMB), are forging other avenues to enhance bike safety in the state. For example, LMB, as of April 2010, is lobbying the governor of Michigan and the Michigan Legislature to include bike safety as part of the state's driver's education classes. LMB argues that under Michigan's Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program for teenage drivers, there is room to include bicycle safety courses in the 24 hours of required in-class instruction.
  
  

Michigan Bicycle Laws

• Presently, Michigan does not have a statewide bicycle helmet law, reports the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute (BHSI). While some jurisdictions, including Adrian, East Grand Rapids and Farmington Hills, set helmet law for minors, a majority of the state's population is not regulated, as of April 2010. Michigan, like other most states, requires cyclists to follow the rules of the road. Bicycles are considered vehicles. Part of the state's awareness campaign focuses on educating drivers that along with the same responsibilities, bike riders also have the same rights to the road as motorists (e.g., using the left turn lane to make a left turn as cars do).